Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2018, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (1): 47-54.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2018.00047

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Applicability of an ultra-long-range terrestrial laser scanner to monitor the mass balance of Muz Taw Glacier, Sawir Mountains, China

FeiTeng Wang1, ChunHai Xu1,2, ZhongQin Li1, Muhammad Naveed Anjum1,2, Lin Wang1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science/Tien Shan Glaciological Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China;
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2017-06-06 Online:2018-02-01 Published:2018-11-23
  • Contact: ZhongQin Li, lizq@lzb.ac.cn E-mail:lizq@lzb.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41601076, 41471058 and 91425303), the "Light of West China" program for Talent Introduction of Chinese Academy. We would like to thank the Tien Shan Glaciological Station for field surveys.

Abstract: Glacier mass balance is a key component of glacier monitoring programs. Information on the mass balance of Sawir Mountains is poor due to a dearth of in-situ measurements. This paper introduces the applicability of an ultra-long-range terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) to monitor the mass balance of Muz Taw Glacier, Sawir Mountains, China. The Riegl VZ®-6000 TLS is exceptionally well-suited for measuring snowy and icy terrain. Here, we use TLS to create repeated high spatiotemporal resolution DEMs, focusing on the annual mass balance (June 2, 2015 to July 25, 2016). According to TLS-derived high spatial resolution point clouds, the front variation (glacier retreat) of Muz Taw Glacier was 9.3 m. The mean geodetic elevation change was 4.55 m at the ablation area. By comparing with glaciological measurements, the glaciological elevation change of individual stakes and the TLS-derived geodetic elevation change of corresponding points matched closely, and the calculated balance was -3.864±0.378 m w.e.. This data indicates that TLS provides accurate results and is therefore suitable to monitor mass balance evolution of Muz Taw Glacier.

Key words: glacier front variation, geodetic mass balance, Riegl VZ®, -6000 terrestrial laser scanner, Muz Taw Glacier, Sawir Mountains

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